Gateau au Chocolat Fondant de Nathalie

Dear Chocolate,

I love you but we both know that you are no good for me. I made a conscious decision to limit your appearance in my cooking for this blog because of, you know, the effect you have on me.

You tease me with your alluring aroma and dark, handsome good looks - I am powerless when you are around.

And I must say, you do look very dapper at this time of the year with your brightly coloured foil and shaped into eggs...oh who am I kidding, you are wonderful any time - especially when you are at your darkest. 

You always seem to be there when I am feeling down. You try to cheer me up, but after you have gone, all I have left is tight fitting jeans and a deep fear of the bathroom scales.

But you are back in my life and on this blog no less. I can't say I blame you, you needed to be here.

You are the star - this cake is and will always be a tribute to you.

I don't know who this Nathalie person is but I think that she might have once been in love with you too, to have this cake named after her. That's OK, I know you have had many lovers.

I'm glad you're here for this. Right now, I can't think of a better way to have you.  I took you to a dinner party and shared you with everyone there - they loved you too, especially when I covered you with gold dust.  The sheer richness and quality of you in this cake ensured that I only needed a slice and I was completely fine with that. I think I can handle you again in my life - maybe...

Gateau au Chocolat Fondant de Nathalie
Adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini which was adapted from a recipe by Trish Deseine.
200g 70% dark chocolate - the best quality you can afford, finely chopped
200g butter - the best quality you can afford, cubed
1 cup white sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon flour
Edible gold dust - optional

Pre-heat your oven to 190C and grease (with butter) a 20cm cake tin. Line the bottom of the tin with baking paper and grease the baking paper.

In a bowl over a pot of simmering water (or in the microwave), melt the chocolate and the butter together, stirring to combine. Add the sugar and stir until combined. Set the mixture aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Add the eggs, one by one whisking each egg into the mixture before adding the next egg. Add the flour and stir in well to combine. You will have a runny batter. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for around 20 to 25 minutes (checking after 20 minutes) until the cake has a barely there wobble in the centre and is slightly cracked on top.

Leave the cake to cool in its tin for around 15 minutes before carefully removing the cake from the tin onto a rack to cool completely. The cake will sink, it's inevitable and completely normal. 

This cake is best eaten the next day with nothing more than some softly whipped, unsweetened cream...and maybe a little edible gold dust painted on the top.

When Life Gives You Buddha's Hands

The other day at work I decided that I needed to pick up some good habits in my life. One good habit that seemed attainable to me at that point in time was getting more vitamins into me via a fresh veggie juice. 

The juice shop that I went to was filled with all sorts of beautiful fruit and veg on display, but something caught my eye - something out of the ordinary.

Today I bring you Buddha’s Hand Citrons. Whatever, right? No big deal? Wrong - I have been thinking about this gnarley looking fruit for a very long time. I have a Buddha's Hand tree growing out the back which is about a year and a half old now and probably another year or so away from bearing any fruit. I had to have them like I had to buy yet another pair of ballet flats on pay day. 

The Buddha's Hands were not there for juicing, the owner of the shop had them dotted about for display purposes. Apparently they had been given to him by a friend who had a bumper crop in his garden. The owner was more than happy to sell them to me and before I knew it, I had my almost forgotten veggie juice and a bag of yellow hands in my possession.

According to Wikipedia, Buddha's Hands originate from North East India or China. They are used for anything from offerings in Buddhist temples to perfuming a room. They contain no flesh; just pith, and the pith is not bitter at all - so it is OK if it ends up in your cooking. The zest is amazingly fragrant, like blossoms and lemons together. The taste is as it smells - divine. 

You might think they look a little bit freaky, but I think they look amazing - like sea creatures. To me, they look as if they have a personality!

I needed to stretch these guys out as far as I could. So I did three things with them to ensure that I would be in good supply of Buddha's Hands until the next time I cross paths with them.

Firstly, booze was on the cards. I zested two of my precious supply into a whole bottle of vodka to make Buddha's Hand liqueur or Buddhacello - if you will. I tried very hard not to let much pith slip in there because I want it to be as clear as possible. In a couple of months time I will add some simple syrup and let it rest again for a time until it is ready to be drunk over ice or slipped into cocktails. There was a fair bit of syrup left over from my next two recipes, so I think I will use that to further amplify the flavour.

Next up I decided to candy one of them by slicing it up into strips and boiling it in syrup. I left about two millimetres of pith on there - any more and I felt it might be a little spongy. I tossed the strips in some vanilla sugar and dried them over night. It took a lot of strength not to gobble the lot and currently, the jar is sitting at work where it is being picked over whenever someone passes by.

For the last two hands, I candied those as well. This time I diced the hands and preserved them in the syrup. These will be fantastic in cakes and other desserts.

I went out for veggie juice with good intentions and life gave me Buddha's Hands - now (because I have actually eaten it) I definitely cannot wait for my tree to start fruiting. 

A tip when preparing Buddha's Hands: Dirt gets into the crevices of the "fingers" you will need to scrub the fruit thoroughly and then scrub the fingers as you cut into it.
Store any leftover syrup from the candied recipes in the fridge to make the Buddhacello - I have not included this in the recipe (just the ingredients to make simple syrup.

Buddha's Hand Liqueur or Buddhacello
recipe adapted from frangage.com
2 Buddha's Hand Citron - thoroughly scrubbed and removed of dirt
1 bottle (750ml)of vodka.
225g white sugar
435ml water

Using a vegetable peeler, remove all zest from the fruit and discard the pith. 
In a large jar, add the zest and pour over the vodka.
Store for around 40 days, shaking when you remember.
Strain the vodka (discarding the zest) through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth into a jug.
Make a simple syrup by dissolving the sugar into the water over a medium heat - do not boil, leave to cool.
Add the syrup to the vodka slowly. Taste until you have the sweetness you like. 
Pour the liqueur into clean, sterilised, sealable bottles. 
Store for another month,(if you can)the longer you leave it the further the flavour will develop.
Serve icy cold over ice or add it to cocktails and desserts. 

Candied Buddha's Hands
recipe adapted from David Lebovitz 
You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe
1 Buddha's Hand Citron
400g sugar plus 1 cup of sugar for coating the strips
300ml water

Cut the hands into thin strips, about 3 mm in thickness - discard the rest of the pith
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the strips of Buddha's Hand and boil for around 30 to 40 minutes or until the strips become translucent.
Drain and set aside.
In the same large saucepan, stir the sugar into the 300mls of water over a medium heat until dissolved.
Add the strips and attach the candy thermometer to the side of the pot. 
Increase the heat and cook the strips until the temperature reaches 110C. This should take around 15 to 20 minutes.
Turn the heat off and let the strips sit in the syrup to cool. Strain the strips (reserving the syrup for other uses) and press out as much syrup as possible with the back of a spoon. 
Toss the strips in the extra cup of sugar and spread them on a wire rack to dry out overnight. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Candied Buddha's Hands Preserved in Syrup
recipe adapted from David Lebovitz
2 Buddha's Hand Citron
600g sugar 
500ml water


Dice the hands, about 3 mm in thickness - discard the rest of the pith
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the cubes of Buddha's Hand and boil for around 30 to 40 minutes or until they become translucent.
Drain and set aside.
In the same large saucepan, stir the sugar into the 500mls of water over a medium heat until dissolved.
Add the cubes and attach the candy thermometer to the side of the pot. 
Increase the heat and cook the cubes until the temperature reaches 110C. This should take around 15 to 20 minutes.
Turn the heat off and let the Buddha's Hand sit in the syrup to cool slightly. 
Using a slotted spoon, spoon the cubes into sterilised jars and seal tightly. 
Leave to cool before storing in a cool, dark cupboard.

Dutch Baby with Tea Poached Plums

When you read as many food blogs as I do, certain recipes start to loop around and around in your mind. It can consume a person. 
This recipe has been on permanent replay in my head for a good year now and when something is on replay in your head it is time to address it. 
I can't believe I didn't address the issue of this Dutch Baby sooner!
My American readers are probably smiling and nodding as they read this because from what I have seen around the webs; this is a pretty popular dish in the U.S. of A. The recipe originated in Seattle in Manca's cafe and is derived from a German pancake recipe that had apples baked into the batter. The "Dutch" part of the name comes from German immigrants who were known as the "Pennsylvania Dutch". 

History and origins aside - what we have here is essentially a great, giant pancake. This giant pancake does not require flipping and it puts on a show by puffing up and then deflating to form a wonderful, gaping crater to hold whatever you please. It's both light and chewy and has a crispy edge that will melt your heart.

Plums poached in black tea was the filling for me. I used a smoky Russian Caravan tea because I was curious to see what it would be like. To be honest with you, I wasn't overly confident with this choice as the smokiness worried me a little. Happily, it ended up creating a wonderful and complex depth of flavour when combined with the brown sugar and vanilla bean.

Have I planted the seed in your mind? Are you thinking about nothing else other than what else could you could place in the centre? Or are you thinking you might like to try the tea-poached plum option? 

Now I want you to think about globbing a big scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream right in there. 

Time to address it. 

Dutch Baby with Tea Poached Plums
You will need a 25cm oven proof pan (cast iron works well) or cake tin

For the Dutch Baby
1/2 cup sugar
3 large room temperature eggs
2/3 cup milk at room temperature
2/3 plain flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
55g butter - cubed

For the Tea Poached Plums
3 teaspoons loose-leaf black tea of your choice - I used Russian Caravan for it's smokiness and it was beautiful.
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 vanilla pod
5 medium plums - skins intact and chopped into wedges
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 220C - and put in your pan to heat. 
Bring 250ml of water to the boil and add the tea leaves. Leave to infuse for 5 minutes then strain into a medium saucepan.
Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Add them to the tea along with the vanilla pod. 
Add the sugar and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the plumbs and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the vanilla extract. Simmer for around 10 minutes or until the plums are tender. You can check this by carefully sliding the tip of a sharp knife into a slice of plum. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla and sugar until light and pale. Whisk in the milk and then gradually mix in the flour and salt. Mix until no lumps remain.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts and add the butter to the pan to melt. Swirl the butter around to coat the bottom of the pan and then tip the remaining butter into the pancake batter and whisk to combine. 
Pour the pancake batter into the pan and immediately put it back in the oven. Reduce the temperature to 200C and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

The pancake will be golden and puffed-up but after removing from the oven, it will sink quickly. Spoon the plums into the centre of the pancake and serve with vanilla bean ice-cream. 

Peach and Lemon Verbena Lassi

I feel like we are running out of time with peaches and I am experiencing a sense of desperation about them. 

Is this normal? Am I crazy to feel like I need to buy every single peach that I walk past? Southern Hemisphere Readers: you understand, right?

I also feel desperate about the end of Daylight Savings and public transport in Sydney in peak hour on a rainy day – but that’s not for here.

I love autumn and all that it brings - but I am not blind to the fact that the colours of summer are starting to fade in the fruit shops and markets. I walk past a guy selling fruit in the C.B.D of Sydney every morning when I get off the bus - the peaches and nectarines are still there, but they have a look about them. It is as if they know that their time will be up soon. 

Wow, how depressing. To remedy this, I have made you some lassi.

This traditional Indian yoghurt based drink has had a bit of a makeover (if you will) with the peaches that I cannot say "see ya later" to.

I also sweetened it with honey and thinned the thick yoghurt out with a little coconut water - only because I had some at hand. If it were slightly warmer weather, I would have blended it with some crushed ice instead of the coconut water...or just used regular old H20.

Adding lemon verbena to the mix elevates this to status: Special. 
Lemon balm or even fresh mint with a little lemon zest would work here too.

This is a good way to get peaches into you fast – apart from (obviously) actually just eating the peach on its own.

Now comes to the part where I realise that I am silly to be so desperate about peaches leaving us so soon and I should look towards autumn with fresh eyes and apples in my heart.

Bah! No.

I am still in peach mode – I‘ll get to autumn in a couple of weeks.

Peach and Lemon Verbena Lassi
Serves 2
2 ripe peaches, stones removed, chopped
300ml Greek Style Yoghurt
Approx 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon verbena leaves - substitute: mint, lemon balm or lemon zest.
1 tablespoon honey
Coconut water - substitute: milk, crushed ice or water for thinning.

Add peaches, lemon verbena, yoghurt and honey to a blender and blend until smooth and incorporated. Add a splash of coconut water to thin to your liking.
Serve cold.

48 Hours in Orange - Part One

I have mentioned Orange before in past posts and if you are a regular reader, you will know about my strong ties to this place. I grew up in Sydney, but my Mum’s side of the family comes from here. This meant that most school holidays were spent here either visiting my Nana or my cousins who lived on a property just out of town. One of my cousins Ed (who regularly comments here) now hails from a town called Mudgee which is around two hours away. We were overdue for a catch up and wanted to have a bit of a food adventure and check out the local scenery. This is a very different place to the one I remember growing up. The Orange of my childhood was just a place we went to see family and maybe get some swimming lessons. It did not involve fancy coffee or vineyard hopping … and it certainly did not involve bacon or almond croissants.

Ed and I had a similar adventure last year, but it was just after Easter and many places were closed. This time we were prepared. The only downer to the weekend is that we did not get any time for vineyard hopping, only eating. This OK, it just gives us another excuse for another adventure!

This post is also in two parts – mainly because we crammed so much in and showing you all in one giant post would be overkill.

I hope you enjoy part one of Anna and Ed’s 48 hours in Orange!

First things first.

Byng St Local Store was Ed’s suggestion and this was the moment that I looked over to her with pride and decided that she was now tour leader. She always picks the best places to go.

The coffee here is Allpress – bingo, guys.  Orange has a couple of local roasters that supply many of the coffee establishments around town. Bills Beans is extremely popular with the locals and I haven’t had a chance to try Fish River Roasters but I hear that it is beautiful.

Ed didn't want to be photographed staring wistfully into the distance with my coffee beside her – so instead the photo above is comprised of a macchiato... and Ed’s abandoned handbag. 

The atmosphere here was so relaxing that we decided to stick around for lunch. I got a ficelle with Parma ham and Manchego - my interest was piqued by the Parma ham, but I purchased because I wanted to know what exactly a ficelle was. Turns out (as you can see) that it is like a baguette only flatter and thinner.  

Ed's lunch in the background was a Byng St BLT and mayo. Both were super fresh and tasty - and the fact that our lunches contained ham and bacon respectively only made us more eager to get to our next destination...

Trunkey Bacon and Pork.

This place is like getting into a secret club or trendy inner city small bar - you need to know what to look for. We found this place by accident last year when we went to the butcher next door to buy some Trunkey Creek streaky bacon. This bacon is the bomb and if you live in Sydney, you can find it at a few farmers markets. Here is what you do if you are achin’ for some bacon in Orange:

1. Go into the butchers shop and ask the butcher for Trunkey Creek bacon.
2. Watch for the all-important signal (a thumb jerked to the right) and the password: (“next door”).
3. Give the butcher an awkward, apologetic look because you are after bacon and not the beautiful steak etc he has on offer and;
4. Walk outside and look for a silver door with grating on it.
5. There will be a small tell-tale sign as shown above.
6. Don’t be afraid to open the door and walk down the corridor that smells like heaven.
7. There, at the end lies the answer to all your cured porcine needs.

There to greet us at Trunkey Pork and Bacon were Zanzie D'Souza and her mum Raewyn Mitchell as well as a bunch of friendly butchers.  These ladies know their stuff, and are more than happy to stop for a chat - even though they were super busy packing up their wares for the markets in Sydney the next day. They told us that Saturday is the best time to visit as this is when all the action happens and they often have groups through to learn about the process of  smoking and curing. Zanzie was such a sport and did have a few sides of bacon smoking away to show us that day….for you to ogle. You’re welcome.

I originally intended to just pick up some of my beloved streaky bacon, but then they went and showed us other beautiful products like chorizo and salami… and how could we say no? So, with the back seat of the car now piled with cured pork, it was time to bust a move.

Next stop was Cook Park.

I love this park – every direction that I pointed my camera I saw greenery and beauty. There is a sunken rose garden, a fernery and a huge duck pond. There is also a sweet little shop selling crafts as well as jams and slices made that day. You can’t not visit here, even if it is just to sit and have a piece of slice while watching the ducks waddle past. 

If Orange were ever to be invaded, they need never fear - for they have their very own army stationed in Cook Park... 

Orange is home to a few beautiful and award winning restaurants. Racine, located at La Collene Vinyard,  is probably one of the most well-known. I sadly have never had the chance to eat here (hoping to rectify this in the near future) but we could not miss out on visiting the new bakery that they have in town. The sourdough here would rival anything Sydney has to offer – truth. 

It was a little awkward taking photos in there due to the line of people and the staff being slightly wary of me wielding my camera:

Staff: “are you a journalist?” Me: “Er, no, but I have this blog…”

Ah, it was awkward but they were very friendly. 

Ed was conveniently absent during this exchange.

I wish I could have tried those peach tarts...just look at them! Instead we got an almond croissant - and  it was probably one of the best I have ever had. Seriously, I am not just saying this. 

I bought the organic rye sourdough - loved it. Loved every crumb of it. We used it for sausage sandwiches with homemade tomato relish. Amen. 

Ok that's enough for now. Ill be posting a recipe next but stay tuned for more delicious escapades soon after.